Leadership Through Purpose

The Feliciano School of Business kicked off its fall MBA Executive Speaker Series by welcoming Shannon Lazare, Executive Vice President and New Jersey Regional President at M&T Bank, as its first featured guest.

An alumna of Montclair State University’s MBA program, Lazare reflected on her career trajectory and the core principles that define her leadership style. Her journey underscores a vital lesson for rising professionals: career growth is rarely linear. After earning her undergraduate degree in marketing from West Virginia University, she explored diverse roles across financial services, business development, and commercial banking. From working in merchant services to managing branches at JPMorgan Chase, each role expanded her skillset and fueled her passion for driving business growth. In 2013, she joined M&T Bank, where she steadily advanced into executive leadership.

Throughout her address, Lazare emphasized the impact of staying curious, building authentic relationships, and taking calculated risks. She urged students to step out of their comfort zones, ask thoughtful questions, seek out mentors, and stay receptive to unexpected opportunities. She also stressed the importance of data-driven decision-making, highlighting how setting clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) keeps organizations aligned and accountable.

At the core of her message was the philosophy of servant leadership. Lazare shared that true leaders prioritize their teams, foster inclusive workplace cultures, and empower employees to voice new ideas. At M&T Bank, she actively drives initiatives that boost employee engagement, celebrate cultural diversity, and support local community involvement—reinforcing that effective leadership hinges on integrity, accountability, and reliability.

Lazare closed with a simple yet powerful challenge: “lift while you climb.” It served as a timely reminder for future leaders that professional success is far more rewarding when it creates path-clearing opportunities for others. To learn more about the Feliciano School of Business MBA program, please visit https://www.montclair.edu/academics/programs/mba-master-of-business-administration